So England march on to the quarterfinals with a dominant, but at times, stodgy, performance. They’ll face tougher challenges and the Wallaroos next weekend will test their defence. But this was some showing from the dominant forwards who rumbled and steamrolled and monstered the South African pack.
It’s been a treat reporting on the live blog for you. I hope you’ve enjoyed it.
Below is my report on the game.
I’m off to doze. Catch you next time.
And the final word from England’s coach, Simon Middleton:
I’m thrilled. I think the way we adapted our game through the match, we got the basics right, eventually. After a nervy start it was great to see the players settle down and the way they got control of the game and got control of their nerves. The second half they were a bit more expressive and played more into the space. You can see they can play a bit when they open up.
I thought the media reaction was ridiculous after the France game. And pretty disrespectful to France. There were a lot of nerves because everyone knew what was at stake. We won that game categorically. We ticked some real boxes today that we worked on through the week.
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Poppy Cleall is up next:
I enjoy looking behind me and seeing my hooker scoring a try. We work so hard [on the rolling maul].
We had a really tough pool. We knew it would be tough physical battles. We’ve come off every game crawling off the pitch. We’ve had to be at our best. We’ve scored some great team tries and had some World Cup debutants. We’ve put in a performance we can be proud of.
We’ve been tested. We’ve had to wrestle control back in games. People kicking in behind us, counterattacking. I think we’re in a good place going into the quarterfinals.
Training is full throttle. There is no holding back. If you’re not in the team you’re working hard and putting the team in the best place.
And now from player of the match, Tatyana Heard:
It’s massive. It’s amazing to have my family out here, to make my World Cup debut and then to top it off with the player of the match. But really chuffed to get the win.
I loved it. It’s so good to have front foot ball. Our forwards were really dominant and then giving them space to play in, it was great.
I just wanted to put my best foot forward. But whatever is best for the team. Me and Helena [Rowland] are very different players. If she’s the best option depending on who we’ve got next week, then that’s fair enough. We’ll see.
We’ve all had our chats with the coaches. if you’re on form you’re going to be playing.
It would be amazing. If I got the opportunity again I’d be really excited.
Here’s one of the hat-trick heroes, Rosie Galligan:
A phenomenal day out. My mum and dad singing the national anthem in the crowd, it took me back to my first cap. A proper tear-jerk moment. It’s been an incredible journey.
A lot of us girls haven’t played together in the World Cup. The first 20 minutes we were a bit edgy. We slowed it down and got back to our processes and put the points on the board.
We are one team and we are here to win a World Cup and it takes 32 players to do so. But everyone wants to play. You can tell that there were people out there who want to put their hands up, myself included.”
Tatyana Heard is getting special praise by Waterman. Rightly so. She was brilliant. She’s not likely a starter when the strongest possible side is named. But she has put her hand up in a big way. Wonderful performance.
Nollie Waterman, on the ITV pundit couch, rightly says England weren’t clinical at the start with some messy play. But hard to be overly critical when when a team has put on such an impressive score.
Here’s Marlie Packer:
Super happy. We said it would take the whole 23 of us to get the job done and that’s what happened. I’m just super proud to have lead this team.
We’ve worked on stuff in training. There were a lot of changes. We can take a lot from this game into the quarterfinals.
What makes it is the support from the girls around me and my family at home.
So we’ve got confirmation of the quarterfinals:
New Zealand v Wales
Canada v USA
England v Australia
France v Italy
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Great to see these scenes. Jordaan is on her mates’ shoulders, they’re giving her a proper send off. They’re singing and dancing, and so are the English players. Lovely stuff.
FULL TIME: England 75-0 South Africa
England were too strong and too clinical. Dominant at the set piece with their rolling maul and scrum dominating the tight exchanges with South Africa who battled with great heart, but ultimately not enough steel.
There were 13 tries scored but it could have been more. Hat-tricks for Galligan and Powell and a braces for Cleall and Kabeya underlined the Red Roses class. There’s a reason they’re favourites to lift the title and, despite a few sloppy errors in the first half, steamrolled the Saffas to march imperiously into the next round.
Reaction coming up.
80 mins: South Africa are running the ball, desperate to get on the board in the dying seconds. They tap and go from a penalty, won by Hele, who has been their best player by a mile.
Webb dummies and steals a few metres. Potgieter is running about with mad enthusiasm. But they lose the ball and eventually England hack it into touch to bring the curtain down on the group phase of the World Cup.
YELLOW CARD! England (Bern, 80)
England will end the game with 14 players as Bern is shown a yellow. It could have been red as it was a head on head collision. It was a poor tackle executed with poor technique.
TRY! England 75-0 South Africa (Kabeya, 78)
Yup, that’s another try. Lovely from England. It started way back with Rowland, Kildunne and Dow all involved in some neat interplay on the right wing. Cleall and Muir then bust down the middle with strong carries and Heard, who has been sensational despite not scoring herself, working the play down the line. Any number of players could have scored. It fell to Kabeya who made a dart and got there, just, but placing the ball on the very edge of the try line at the base of the upright.
Rowland has the easy task of kicking the extra two points.
77 mins: On field decision is a try. Hard to tell who that was as it was close to the foam at the base of the poles. Stand by…
75 mins: England win another penalty from the scrum. Will have to tally them up at the end of play but I’m certain that’s at least four from the scrum.
They go to the line and rather than maul it’s sent in midfield where Heard straightens. She’s had a wonderful game.
The ball continues to move through the hands and finds it’s way to Galligan who, remarkably for a second rower, bags her fourth try of the match!
Except no! She hasn’t! She’s dropped it on the line. Oh wow, the it was right there for her. Credit to Makua for disrupting her in the tackle but really, Galligan should have scored.
72 mins: South Africa get their hands on the ball and for a moment they launch an attack down the line. But they knock it on. To be fair, I’m not sure how they’re still on their feet. They’ve been run ragged by England.
TRY! England 68-0 South Africa (Powell, 69)
Another line-out, another maul, another try, another hat-trick. Connie Powell gets her third after England’s pack rumbles over for a 12th score of the match.
68 mins: England win the penalty from the scrum. Their forward pack is simply too powerful and effecient. Aitchison kicks to the corner. Another maul coming up. Probably another try as well.
67 mins: Zenay Jordaan has just been subbed (along with a bunch of her teammates). She’s the most capped South African player and will bow out after this match. What a servant of the game. Hopefully, in the not too distant future, South Africa will have a rugby ecosystem that can challenge the Red Roses. Those players to come will owe a debt of gratitude to Jordaan.
After a break in play, England have the feed to the scrum on South Africa’s 22m.
Updated
TRY! England 63-0 South Africa (Dow, 64)
Brilliant again from England. Their slick handling down the line is just too much for the tiring Saffas. Heard in the centre is involved at multiple stages. McKenna throws a well timed off-load. Cleall comes close with a busting run through the middle. The ball is recycled under the shade of the posts and sent left. Heard had every right to make a dart for the line but she selflessly passes on to Dow on the overlap who dives into the corner to score.
TRY! England 58-0 South Africa (Kabeya, 62)
I think every English player touched the ball on this attack. At least that’s what it seemed like as players in white ran into space, passed to a teammate and watched the ball whizz down the line and up the field. Dow came close after rounding a defender on the right and then busting through a challenge. The try is inevitably scored when Kabeya collects the ball from a flat pass and runs over.
TRY! England 53-0 South Africa (Cleall, 60)
A strong carry from Muir punches a hole in midfield. England keep the ball with their forwards charging from short popped passes.
South Africa’s defence can’t stop the relentless march up field. It’s so clinical, so sharp, so accurate. Cleall is the last to hold it and she busts through two tacklers to score.
Kildunne, on for Harrison, misses the kick.
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56 mins: Oh wow, that’s a big hit from substitute Nuir on Webb, nailing the fullback. But South Africa keep hold of it until they’re forced to kick. The ball worms its way towards the right touch and England cough it up – if there is one blight on their performance it’s been their handling – and South Africa have the scrum.
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TRY! England 48-0 South Africa (Galligan, 53)
I said the last try was the best of the bunch, this one is even better. Dow down the right creates space from nothing, weaving round her tackler on the touchline and offloading once she is hauled down. Heard is right there to collect and straightens before offloading herself. Galligan receives the pass and can’t believe her luck as she charges to the corner to register a hat-trick from the second row. Remarkable stuff.
It’s a difficult kick for Harrison and she skews it right of the posts.
TRY! England 43-0 South Africa (Packer, 51)
That is real quality and the best try of the game (so far). England go to the back of the line-out. It’s secured quickly and Packer has it, she gives it to Cleall who rides the tackle and off-loads for Packer on the loop-around. Packer charges towards the line and dives over. Very good indeed.
Harrison slots the conversion this time.
49 mins: The ball shoots out the back of the England scrum. It goes down the line before it’s kicked up field. Webb fields it and attempts a cute chipped kick but her swinging boot only skims the ball. She tries to regather but knocks on so it’s an English scrum on the right.
Slick passing sees the ball go all the way down the line. Breach has it. South Africa concede a penalty on the ground. As you’d expect, England kick into the corner.
47 mins: South Africa aren’t giving up but they’re battling for continuity at the moment. That’s another handling error in contact. They’ll want to keep things loose, if they can. As it is, the packs crouch down for a scrum with Packer feeding it.
43 mins: That’s a rare run from Breach who makes some metres down the left wing. Good to see a backline move from England.
But they concede a penalty on the ground so South Africa have the chance to kick to touch. Their line-out is clean and they get a maul going of their own.
Hele (again) is involved in a strong run but South Africa lose it forward in the contact. England have the feed to the scum in the own half.
TRY! England 36-0 South Africa (Powell, 41)
Barely a minute into the second half and it’s a sixth rolling maul try for England. South Africa just have no answer. Powell gets her second of the evening. Brutal from the burly English pack. They’re unstoppable.
Harrison slots the conversion.
Updated
We’re back underway.
HALF TIME: England 29-0 South Africa
Nope. South Africa make a mess of their line-out and concede a free-kick. So Harrison nudges it into touch and that will be that for the first 40.
England dominant without getting out of second gear. Five tries, all from rolling mauls, is evidence of their superiority.
South Africa were the better of the two sides early on with Hele particularly impressive. But once the England pack got the wheels turning they were unstoppable.
Their scrum has milked penalties, contributing to the 12 overall that South Africa have conceded, and the maul is seemingly unstoppable.
Two yellow cards for South Africa didn’t help, but that’s not why they’re facing a monstrous deficit.
If England can sort their handling out they’ll surely stack up an eye-watering points haul.
Catch you in a few.
39 mins: That’s a wonderful grab of the ball on the ground from Hele. She had a short spell on the sidelines but is back. Great steal. South Africa win a penalty and Webb opts to punt into touch. South Africa have a line-out. Can they close out the half with a score?
TRY! England 29-South Africa 0 (Powell, 37)
Copy and paste. South Africa can’t stop conceding penalties and England can’t stop scoring from the rolling maul. This on from the left corner is worked back to Powell and she crashes over from close range to register he team’s fifth five pointer.
Harrison is having trouble form this part of the field and misses the conversion.
YELLOW CARD! South Africa (Booi, 33)
Referee Lauren James said she’s whip out the yellow card if there was another bit of foul play in the red zone from the maul, and she wasn’t joking. The Boks’ captain gets her marching orders for illegally disrupting England’s maul.
TRY! England 24-0 South Africa (Brown, 33)
Another maul, another try. It’s so clinical and South Africa have no answers. It would help if they stopped conceding penalties and allowing Harrison to kick in the corner. But they can’t, so England go to the line-out again and get that maul rumbling.
Brown comes up with the ball after crashing over and the referee has lost patience. South Africa’s skipper, Booi, is carded as well.
Harrison finds her range and nails a tough kick from the right touchline.
Updated
TRY! England 17-0 South Africa (Galligan, 29)
Water is wet, England score a try from a rolling maul. It’s Galligan again though it wasn’t as neat as her first. This one comes after a reload in the maul following South Africa’s splintering of the first attempt. The Saffas are warned though. Any more infringements in the maul in the red zone will see them carded. England starting to flex their might.
Harrison gets her kick at goal all wrong and spirals it right of the posts.
Updated
27 mins: That is a howler from the South African hooker, Botes, in the line-out and gifts the ball straight back to England. Sloppy.
England then have a scrum and win another penalty after wheeling the Saffa pack around. Harrison punts into the corner.
TRY! England 12-0 South Africa (Cleall, 24)
They might be struggling to hold on to the ball, but their scrum, marshalled by Botterman, is at its imperious best. That’s another penalty.
Harriosn kicks it into touch and the maul from the line-out makes another 15m. It fractures, Heard charges towards the line and plays a cute ball on the inside. Cleall collects running at pace and bashes over to score under the posts.
This time Harrison makes no mistake and adds the extra two points.
21 mins: Another knock on in contact means England give the ball up just as they get going through the middle with Packer making ground. Sloppy. They need to sort this sharpish.
20 mins: That is a monstrous scrum from England. 5m from their own line they shove the Saffas backwards and win a penalty. Huge!
19 mins: It’s all a little messy for England. That’s their fifth handling error and now South Africa have a scrum 5m out from the English line after that spill from the line-out.
17 mins: Hele is marauding past the first tackler with every carry. She makes a few metres but Packer completes a very good steal on the ground and wins a penalty.
Hasrrison doesn’t find touch with her kick (this is becoming a theme of the game). Jordaan does though with her raking hoof.
A well worked line out gets Heard in space and she punches a hole through the middle.
South Africa have it back, go left and then right before Webb nails an in perfect kick, pinning England in the corner.
15 mins: Scrum penalty for England. They’re a little scrappy in open play, coughing up the ball. But their set piece is functioning as it should.
They win another line-out down the left but then lose the ball after a slick turnover on the ground wins a penalty for South Africa. That’s Dumke with the steal.
The kick doesn’t find touch but they have it back after England spill it in midfield.
YELLOW CARD! South Africa (Jacobs, 13)
The TMO has been in touch and has decided that Catha Jacobs’ tackle on Packer was dangerous. It could have been a red, to be honest. There was contact of the shoulder on the head and no attempt to wrap her arms in the tackle. But because it was ‘passive’, meaning Jacobs wasn’t moving forward into the hit, it’s only 10 minutes in the bin.
13 mins: That’s a good clearing run from Heard in midfield which allows Harrison to kick towards the halfway line. There’s a bit of kick-tennis before England have the ball 10m in their own half. South Africa win a penalty after a player in white is guilty of obstruction. Rather than take a shot at the poles, the Saffas hoof it into touch. Let’s see if their line-out can click this time.
11 mins: The South Africans are making strong runs across the park. Mpupha down the left, Mabenge down the right in space. They’re winning collisions, bumping off tacklers. Very impressive.
England’s scrambled defence then concede a penalty so South Africa have a line-out within striking distance in the corner.
It’s messy though, that’s the difference between England and the rest of the world. The Roses just don’t make mistakes at set piece.
South Africa can’t clean up and it’s England’s ball after winning a scrum 5m from their own line.
8 mins: Another penalty against South Africa for offside. But Harrison can’t find touch with her kick so Hele canters through several tackles on the counter attacking charge. What a game she’s having. The ball is hoofed down field and England have the line-out on the left just outside of their 22.
TRY! England 5-0 South Africa (Galligan, 6)
Harrison kicks the penalty into the corner and that England mail gets rolling after Galligan plucks the the ball from the sky.
It’s ruthlessly efficient and rumbles over the line. Galligan comes up with it. What a moment for her after all the troubles she’s been through.
Harrison misses the conversion.
Updated
5 mins: A strong clearing kick from Harrison deep in her own 22 takes the ball to the halfway line. SA go long on the line out and retain the ball but it’s stolen on the ground.
Harrison punts again. England have it back and charge down the left. Heard makes a strong run down the wing. Cleall punches a hole in the middle but the play is stopped after a head collision involving Hele. She needs some medical attention.
Kinsey strays offside so it’s an England penalty on the left.
2 min: England knock on straight from the kick off. So it’s a scrum for South Africa 20m in. They go right and then back infield.
A strong carry from Hele gets the ball up by 10m but then SA knock on inside England’s 22.
South Africa kick off. Here we go!
This may sound strange, but I absolutely love watching people cry when they sing their national anthem right before representing their country on the field. Know what I mean? It shows how much they care, how much passion is burning inside them, how important this moment is for them and their families. Tingles. A few wet cheeks from the Saffas is proof that they’re up for it. It won’t help them, but at least they’ll give it all they’ve got.
The teams are out on the park now. England in all white. South Africa in the bottle green. The anthems start ringing out. Not long to go.
Did you know there is a cracking documentary on the Red Roses? It really is good. Here’s a sneak peak:
The story of the #RedRoses journey 🌹
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) October 22, 2022
Watch 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝘀𝗲: 𝗔𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝘂𝗴𝗯𝘆 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 👇
@O2 | #WearTheRose
“Life could have been so different for Rosie Galligan.”
Ahead of her World Cup debut, she sat down with Luke McLaughlin and told him about her battles with meningitis and a shattered ankle. Take a read as you get yourself a morning coffee.
These sorts of things are always great to see. So you should see this:
Giving back 🙌
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) October 22, 2022
The #RedRoses visited a girls rugby tournament in the lead up to #ENGvRSA 🌹 pic.twitter.com/y4jmwRTxTw
South Africa rejig their side for their WC finale
South Africa’s coach Stanley Raubenheimer has opted to shake up his side following their agonising loss to Fiji last weekend.
Forme Exeter centre Zintle Mpupha comes back into the starting XV with twin sisters Chumisa and Chuma Qawe are both in the 23.
South Africa: Eloise Webb; Nomawethu Mabenge, Simamkele Namba, Chumsa Qawe, Nadine Roos; Zenay Jordaan, Tayla Kinsey; Saneliswe Charlie, Roseline Botes, Babalwa Lathsha, Nolusindiso Booi (capt), Catha Jacobs, Lusanda Dumke, Lerato Makua, Aseza Hele.
Substitutes: Micke Gunter, Yonela Ngxingolo, Azisa Mkiva, Nompumelelo Mathe, Zizophila Solontsi, Rumandi Potgieter, Jakkie Cilliers, Chuma Qawe.
It doesn’t get any bigger than this! #WomenBoks team named to face England on Sunday – more here: https://t.co/py3Sv6FxBB 🇿🇦#TogetherMovingForward #RWC2021 pic.twitter.com/Uw1bOY334M
— Springbok Women (@WomenBoks) October 20, 2022
England make 15 changes
Two of them are late decisions, 13 of them were announced this week. As you might expect with bigger fish to fry in their immediate future, England have made wholesale changes to the team that beat France eight days ago.
Loose-head prop Vickii Cornborough and veteran centre Emily Scarrat picked up knocks and have shifted out of the match-day 23. They’re replaced by Maud Muir and Ellie Kildunne with ‘Quins front-rower Shaunagh Brown moving to the starting XV.
Marlie Packer skippers the side with Sarah Hunter rested.
England: Sarah McKenna; Abby Dow, Holly Aitchison, Tatyana Heard, Jess Breach; Zoe Harrison, Lucy Packer; Hannah Botterman, Connie Powell, Shaunagh Brown, Rosie Galligan, Cath O’Donnell, Morweena Talling, Marlie Packer (capt), Poppy Cleall.
Substitutes: Amy Cokayne, Maud Muir, Sarah Bern, Zoe Aldcroft, Sadia Kabeya, Leanne Infante, Helena Rowland, Ellie Kildunne.
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Preamble
Good morning all you early risers (unless of course you’re getting stuck in from another part of the world that isn’t the UK).
Wherever you are, whatever time of the day it is for you, I’m so glad you’re joining me for this final group game of the World Cup. It’s fair to say that it’s been a belter of a competition so far and England and South Africa will be desperate to close this out with a bang.
Let’s be real. Anything other than an almighty victory for the Red Roses would constitute a shock. They’ve been imperious this campaign, just as they have been for the past 27 games, an unprecedented unbeaten run that belies logic, a stretch that not only establishes this side as the dominant force in women’s rugby, but places them in an elite pantheon that encompasses all sports in any era.
But a World Cup title is a must. Nothing else will suffice. And though they’re through to the next round after wins against Fiji and France, they’ll want to keep the engine running with another tune-up victory over South Africa.
The Saffas were spirited against France and came agonisingly close to snatching a late victory over Fiji, but are an eon behind England in their development. This is a team comprised of semi-pros battling for recognition. No matter the final score in a few hours’ time, this is a golden opportunity to showcase what they’re about.
Simon Middleton’s charges won’t be in a charitable mood. This is another step on their way to immortality and, speaking truthfully, world rugby needs England to win this tournament. Should they achieve their goal, they’d set an example to the rest of the unions around the world, showcasing the impact of serious investment in the women’s game.
But that is chat for another time. Now we’ve got a tasty content to unpack.
Do get in touch. My name is Daniel, but at this early hour you’re more than welcome to call me Dan. Drop me a mail or a tweet and let’s get the chat flowing.
